What Statistics Tell Us About Wildlife Endangerment

Wildlife Faces Mass Extinction

Our planet’s population of vertebrate wildlife, which includes all mammals, reptiles, birds, fish and amphibians, have more than halved between 1970 and 2010, according to the 2014 Living Planet Report published by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

A glimpse into this mass extinction is highlighted by the fact that the Earth loses around 27,000 species of animal or plant life every year, says a report by PBS.org.

Giant Panda: Endagered

Mountain Gorilla: Endangered Species

Monarch Butterfly: Endangered Species

Why is Our Wildlife at Risk?

The primary reason for wildlife being at risk is the tremendous increase in human population. The human population has increased from around 1 billion in 1800 to over 6 billion in 2000. Scientists predict our population to reach 9 billion people by 2050, according to data revealed by the Population Reference Bureau.

This increase in human population poses a threat to wildlife mainly through:

Hunting for food, decoration and other commercial value

Destruction of animals’ natural habitat for agriculture, establishment of industries, and urban developments

Pollution

Oil spill

Global warming

Threats to Wildlife

Critically Endangered

Name

Scientific Names

Facts

Tiger

Panthera tigris

Down 40% in last 10 years

Polar Bear

Ursus maritimus

Victim of global warming

Pacific Walrus

Odobenus rosmarus divergens

Threatened by Arctic ice melting

Magellanic Penguins

Spheniscus magellanicus

Threatened by oil spills

Leatherback Turtle

Dermochelys coriaceathe

Survived 100 mn years

Bluefin Tuna

Thunnus thynnus

Victim of consumption as sushi

Mountain Gorillas

Gorilla beringei beringei

Less than 1,000 surviving

Monarch Butterflies

Danaus plexippus

Threatened by deforestation

Javan Rhino

Rhinoceros sondaicus

Less than 100 surviving

Giant Panda

Ailuropoda melanoleuca

Threatened by deforestation

What You Can Do

Learn and Spread Awareness: Get information about the importance of wildlife in maintaining the ecological balance and what can happen if species keep becoming extinct. Then share your knowledge and encourage people to do their bit in conserving wildlife.

Limit Consumption: Avoid wastage and adopt recycling. Humans compete with animals for food. Deforestation takes place to provide paper, rubber, wood and a host of other products. So, be mindful of avoiding wastage of any kind. Recycle paper, plastic bags and glass bottles.

Say No: To buying products made from wild animals. If people avoid buying such products, the animals will no longer be hunted for their fur, skin, bones, etc.

Contribute: Work with or donate money to organizations that focus on conserving wildlife. One can be associated with a nonprofit organization that focuses on lowering the extent of this environmental crises, and rehabilitating what's left, says Gary Butler Family Foundation.